Ratchet wrench



S. MATTHEY. i

RATCHET WRENCH.

APPLICATION HLED AN.2s, szo.

Patented Feb. 14

' of Washington UNITED e :STATE SAMUEL MATTHEYQOF SEATTLE, WASHINGiTON.

- RATCHET WRENCH.

Speeificaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

Application filed January 26,' 1920. Serial No. 354324.

To all whom izi may conccm:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL MATTHEY, a citizen of the United States,`residing' at Seattle, in the County of King and tate have invented 'certain new and useful Improvement-s in Batchet lVrenches, of which the following` is a speciication.

This invention relates to wrenches, and the primary object of the invention is to provide animproved wrenvh of the ratchet type which is so constructcd as to pernit the wrcnrh to he used in narrow corners or other confined places, thereby permitting a nut or bolt to be tightened or loosened which could not be turned by the ordinary type of wrench.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved ratchet wrench embodying a shank having a rigid jaw :Eorined thereon, and a pivoted jaw secured thereto, the said pivoted j aw being normally held in engagement with the work and so ronstructed as to firmly grasp the work when the shank is turned in one direvtion and to swing on its pivot when the shank is turned in the other direction, so as to release the work, said pivoted jaw having means formed thereon whereby the operator can Swing the same to an inoperative and nut receiving` position.

A still further object of the inventiou is to provide an improved wrench of the above character which is durable and efiirient in use, one that is simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost. A

Other objects of theinvention will appear in the following detailed description taken in connection with the drawings, forming a part of this speciiication, in which drawines:

Figure 1 is a top plan View ot' the improved wrenrh.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig'ure 3 is fragmentary elevation of the wrench showing one of the side plates removed and the jaws of the wrench in operative position on a bolt head.

Figure t is a similar View showing the pivoted jaw in its ratcheting position on a bolt head, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation of the modified form of wreneh showing one of the side plates removed.

Referring to the drawings, in detail,

gaging the real' end of the wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 generally indicates the improved wrench, which includes the shank ll having the rigid jaw 12 formed on the forward end `thereof. The jaw 12 extends areuately beyond one longitudinal edge of the shank and terminates inward of the central longitudinal axis of the shank. The shank 11 and the jaw 12 can he formed of one solid piece of metal, or as shown, out of an intermediate relatively thick plate 13, and side plates 14, which are rigidly or otherwise secured together as at l5. The intermediate plate 13 adjacent the forward end thereof is provided with an inwardly extending cut ont or notehed portion 16 which extends from the forward end of the shank invard along one longitudinal edge of the plate opposite to the aw 12 and the side plates l t overlie the notch or cut' out portion and form a pocket 17 in the shank which is adapted to receive the pivoted jaw 18. The side plates lt at the forward ends thereof opposite to the rigid jaw 12 are provided with the fomvardly and outwardly directed pair of ears 19 which engage the outer surfaces of the pivoted jaw 18 and these ears carry the pivot pin 20 on which the aw 18 is mo-unted. The pivoted jaw 18 includes the enlarged enter end 21'and the reduced rearwardly extending shank 22 which extends rearwardly beyond the pivot pin 20 and has formed on its rear end a right angular outvardly projecting arm 2?) which normally protrudes out of the noti-lied portion 16 of the intermediate plate 13. The outer end of the arni 23 is provided with a flat thumb piece 24, for permittinp; the convenient operation of the pivoted jaw by the operator when necessary.

The rigid aw 12 is provided with a pair of angular related working faces which are located opposite to the angular related working faces 26 and 27 of the pivoted aw 18. The inner working: face 2? of the pivoted jaw 18 is formed relatively short so as to permit the easy ridine` of the wrench on the bolt 'or nut when turn-cd in one direction. The working faces 26 and 2'? of the pivoted jaw 18 are normally held in engagement with the work by means of a leaf spring 28 which has its inner end eni shauk 22 of the jaw. The Outer forward end of the leaf spring is bent ancuately as at 29 and itted into a socket or groove formed in ,the inner wall of the notch or recess portion 16. To limit the outward movement of the shank in the pocket 17 by the influence of the leaf spring 28, a pin 31 is provided which is car ried by the side plates 14, and is adapted to be received in a notch 32 formed in the outer longitudinal face of the shank 22 of the pivoted jaw 18.

`When the shank of the wreneh is turned in a clockwise direction, the Stress Will .be exerted on the jaw face 26, which is located beyond the pivot pin 20 which will wing the j aw outwardly and permt the ratcheting of the wrench on the work. The jaw face 27 is for-med relativelyshort so as to permit the work to slide by the same when the jaw is swung on its pivot.

When the shank of the wrench is turned in a contra-clockwise direction, the Stress is directed on the jaw face 27, which is located inward of the pivot pin 20, which owing to the engagement of the jaw with the work prevents the Swing-ing of the jaw on its pivot and thereby permits the rotation of the work.

By turning the wrench over the same can be ratcheted on a nut or bolt in a countercloekwise direction. v

ln operation of the improved wrench, when it is desired to grasp a nut or bolt the thumb is placed on the thumb piece 24 and pressedinwardly which will Swing the pivoted jaw outwardly and permit the convenient inser tion of a .nut or bolt head between the rigid and pivoted jaws. The thumb is then removed fron the thumb piece and the leaf spring will Swing the jaw 18 into engagement with the work and the nut or bolt is then ready for turning. i

As shown in Figure 5 the leaf spring 28 may be dispensed with if so desired, and an expansion coil spring 35 used inlieu thereof, and in this instance, the inner face of the shank 22 of the pivoted jaw 18 is provided with a socket 36 and the inner wall of the cut outportion 16 is provided with a similar socket 37 and the terminals of the expansion spring 35 are fitted in the sockets which prevents'displacement thereof. The wrench in this form is operated in identically the same manner as described above for Figures 1 to 4. i i

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention; but, i

I claim: i

A ratchet wren ch comprising a shank, a forwardly extending rigid jaw formed on the shank having working faces formed on its inner surface a movable jaw extending forwardly of the shank having a pair of working faces formed on its inner surface, the working faces of the jaws being disposed facing each other, the inner working face of the movable jaw being formed relatively sho'ter than the outer working face, a rear- Wardly extending handle formed on the movable jaw, an outwardly extending thumb piece fol-med on the free end of the handle, a pivot pin securing the movable jaw inwardly ofthe working faces thereof to the shank, springrmeans engaging the handle for normally urging the novable aw toward the rigid jaw, the outer face of the handle havinga notch formed therein, and a stop pin carried by the shank and arranged to fit in said notch for limiting the swinging movement of the pivoted jaw in one direction.

SAMUEL MATTHEY; 

